Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-06-24
LANGUAGE.


Essay read by Miss Julia Hamilton at the gradu
atins exercises held in Sloeums hall on the of
June 3, 1871
Language is that which commune
Gates knowledge to our senses be it
taught by an animate or inanimate ex-
istence. TIE language that the ear
receives is not the only one that i'm
parts wisdom to the mind; the approx
ing glance, the painful expression, the
merry laugh, and falling tear speak to
us of the feelings of those around us
in a language more forcible than words
could express. History, the silent re-
cord of the hopes, ambitions disap
pointments and victories of the worlds
great characters in past ages, is in
reality tale that was told yesterday,
is retold today and will be repeated
throughout the numberless cycles of
never ending future. What human
ear can conceive of the awfulness of
the combination Of sounds that ascend
from earth to the Most High. The
murmuring of many waters combined
with the thunder Of bursting volcanoes
is to his supreme ear, simply the Ian
guage of a soulless force. These tre-
mendous noises are the canonade that
tell to the mighty Commander of Ma
lures warfare, but as the gentle voice
of loved one is sweeter and dearer to
the human ear than cannon roar or
battle shout, so the bleating of lamb
or the song of a bird is dearer to the
ear of the Creator than the roar and
thunder of natures lifeless artillery.
The seasons have each a different lam
guage, by the budding flower and sing
ing bird we know that spring is ad-
vancing, but as the mild sunshine is
gradually transformed into a shower of
scorching rays and vegetation assumes
a dry, parched appearance, We know
summer has arrived. Then the falling
leaf and ripening fruit tell us that sum-
mer is ended, and autumn the busiest
season of the year has made its appear
ance. Ice. frost and snow will soon
say that winter has come.
Every form of life is a volume of
ideas, containing history Of the past
and prophesy for the future. The
lowest insect in the animal creation
has history that if studied correctly
and diligently, will teach many valua-
BILE lessons. The symmetry of the simp-
lest flower says in unmistakable terms
that God is perfect in all his works
from the loftiest star that glitters In
Heaven to the tlniest speck Of sand
that lies hidden m the depth of the sea.
By the language of the Bible we are
taught that our Creator was a voice,
and nature is a divine word. How
terrible must have been the voice that
in the beginning penetrated the dark
ness and brought forth light, babe new
worlds appear, and formed living beings
out of lifeless clay nor ceased to labor
until this work became so perfect that
the same voice blessed it. Although
partially obscured by the mystery and
mist of centuries, how eloquently and
truthfullY the pyramids of Egypt
speak of mighty race. As symbols
the pyramids are the language of ignor-
ance, superstition and mere earthly
ambition. The language that speaks
of the high virtues of Moses, st. Paul,
Peter, John and other similar ancient
characters is much grander and nobler
in comparison to these massive piles
of shapeless stones. The world speaks
of the noble qualities of these men in
a way that they will always be held up
to posterity as the beacon lights of vir-
tue. The bent form and hoary locks
of the aged pilgrim on life's highway
speaks plainly of life that is nearly
spent, and hints to the bystander that
one so similar to his God may hope for
an existence beyond the tomb. How
grand! How sublime is language, the
vast meaning and limitlcss expanse Of
knowledge it conveys is beyond the
conception of any mortal being.